Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-06-04
RESURRECTION!
The Land that Flourished, Bloomed and Died to
 Live Again!
The Great Canal Enterprise and the Benefits that Will
 Come 0rI

From point a few miles above Flor enoe and stretching away as far as the eye can discern to the southward, west and southwest, lies and unbroken mesa of waterless but extremely fertile land. Traditions, supported by still visible ru- ins of ancient canals and ressrvoirs. lead to the irresistible belief that the tattered and stained pages of Time must some- where contain fraginentary records of period when dense population of frugal, industrious and intelligent people titled the soil of this broad plain and won the sweet favor of Saturn's fond daughter, Ceres, under circumstances that the world can now contemplate only with profound wonder. The frequent mounds that mark the ceaseless labors of the obliter- ating influences of toiling ages, tell of stately habitations and of towns, with here and there temple of worship in which sacred ministrations were dispens- ed and the devout worshipers bont the supple hinges of the knee in offering up oblations to the ever living Gsd to whom they had been taught implicit faith and fealty.
 That these prehistoric people to whose footprints the new life of the civilized world is now returning, displayed the acme of wisdom in selecting of all other places, the broad mesa bordering the beautiful valley of the Gila for their peaceful and happy homes, no one who has studied the characteristic advantages of this particular section will deny. Their canals brought them a plentiful supply of the ffuctifying water from the Gila river, and their broad and fertile acres were ex- uberant of perennial vegetation.
 The causes of the extinction or banish- ment of those industrious people can only be coniectured. The warlike tribes of Indians that have infested the country since the discovery of the western hem isphere have no traditions embraSing panied thd iotion. The savage Eo- nads probably swept down upon them in vast hordes while they were engaged in their peaceful avocations, and drove them far away to perish upon the barren des erts to the southward; wantonly laid waste their property, and then passed on to other scenes of bloodshed and plundel so familiar that no special field of carnage was deemed worthy of handing down as examples of their deeds of valor
 Upon these broad and fertile mesa lands once teeming with life and activity history will so far repeat itself that II this respect the now barren desert will be made to again blossom as tue rose, anc thousands upon thousands of beautiful and happy homes will arise above tht mysterious ruins in fulfillment of the di vine command. The time has come fol the inevitable change and the opportuni ty Is ripe.
 Money, enterprise and intelligence have combined to again turn portion O the abundant waters of the Gila river, b, nearly the same course as that in whicl they were diverted in the obscured age | of the twilight of Time, and upon tn same lands once titled by the ancient pic neers of whom so little Is really known The zealous antiquarian might regard thi rejuvenation, or rather resurrection, 0 the ashes of dead civilization as piec of wicked vandalism, but the bard of tn future will weave brilliant wool of sen timent with the warp of old and new his tory into a web of song that will live o forever, extolling the unfolding an startling beauties of destiny and evolu ton.
 The work of reclam ation was not of as cidental or recent conception. Practice men have reasoned that one day in tn uncertain future the evident design provident nature must be accomplished and to-day they can witness almost tn full fruition of those early hopes. IL deed, when the belching blaze of tt booming cannon stirs patriotic blood int a fervor that is surpassed only by tf
 Fourth of July orator as he scars alb
 astride the emblematic bird of Libert
 the same event will likewise celebra the completion of the grand Florence c nal to this place, distance of eley'
 miles. The water will then be turned
 and from this point the work of constru
 ton will be resumed until by the ma ! canal and its lateral branches nearly 15(
 900 acres of new land is brought und
 its irrigating capability-enough to SUI port in direct and indirect way, a pc manent population of over 30, GOO peopl
 The Florence canal and water compal
 was organized early in 1886, and t
 work was started in April of that yea : A question then arose as to the right
 way across a portion of the Pima Indi
 reservation, and pending it's adjustme
 all construction work ceased. In Ju . last amended articles of incorporati
 were filed and upon February 1st, of t present year, all obstacles being settle
 work was resumed and has been stead
 prosecuted since that time. The inct
 psrators are, Mir. D. S. Thomas, Pre- r, dent; T. J. Wrampelmier, Vice Pre-
 dent; J. M. Hurley, Secretary and tre
 urar. Chas Hall and John Vail Th